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Yomi
めとはなのさき
Rōmaji
me to hana no saki
Type
idiom
Literal Meaning
An eye and nasal tip
Meaning
a very short distance, a stone’s throw
Synonym
すぐそこ
Additional Info
Originally, it is said to allude to the narrow gap between an eye (目) and the nasal tip (鼻の先). However, some people would probably interpret this idiom as “目と鼻” (“eye and nose”) + の先 (“ahead of”) and think it would indicate something that is right before one’s face. Either way, it describes something that is very close to you.
Example
このホテルの目と鼻の先に駅がある
The station is just a stone’s throw from this hotel